Nothing cleans quite like a pressure washer. Pressure washers are powerful machines known for using a high-powered flow of water to clean surfaces such as decks or siding. If you’ve noticed mold or dirt and grime on your deck or the exterior of your house, you have likely considered consulting with a pressure washer.
Due to the high-powered nature of the operation of a pressure washer, there are definite risks to the business. You risk physical injury to yourself or others, particularly if someone on your crew isn’t trained properly. There is a risk of electric shock (power tool plus water), chemical exposure, damage to surfaces, and even the risk of destroying shingles if you are using a pressure washer to clean on or near the roof. The risks indicate that anyone in the pressure washing business should have appropriate insurance.
This article will cover the following topics regarding pressure washing insurance companies in Florida:
- The 6 best pressure washing insurance companies in Florida
- What is pressure washing insurance?
- What kind of insurance does a pressure washing company need?
- What does pressure washing insurance cover?
- How much does pressure washing insurance cost?
- How to find cheap pressure washing insurance?
- Where to get pressure washing insurance quotes online?
The 6 best pressure washing insurance companies in Florida
- Simply Business: Best for pressure washing businesses in Florida finding low-cost coverage
- InsurePro: Best for flexible and pay-per-day coverage
- CoverWallet: Best for comparing several quotes
- Hiscox: Best for significant experience insuring small businesses
- Thimble: Best for short-term coverage
- NEXT: Best for combining general and professional liability insurance coverage
Simply Business: Best for finding low-cost coverage
Simply Business is a digital broker specializing in small businesses. They partner with several carriers and focus on finding the lowest-cost for the coverage that your business may need. As a result, they not only partner with well-known carriers like Travelers, Chubb, and Hiscox, but also partner with less-known carriers who may offer much lower rates. Rest assured that the carriers that they partner with still have solid financial strength rating of A- or above by A.M Trust.
For Simply Business, we requested a quote for a pressure washing business with one owner and one part-time worker in Destin, Florida. As you can see, Simply Business returned six quotes of varying amounts.
Pros
- Use one website to get multiple quotes
- Partner with several carriers to find low-cost coverage
- Offer a resource library that outlines the insurance needs of different businesses.
Cons
- A third party underwrites all policies
- Simply Business doesn’t offer claims processing
- Occasionally, you must call to complete your quote process
InsurePro: Best for flexible and pay-per-day coverage
InsurePro is another online insurance broker. They offer flexible and pay-per-day coverage for small businesses who may need coverage for a few days only. This option could save small businesses a lot money from buying traditional annual policies.
Pros
- Allows small businesses to buy coverage for a short period of time, even just a few days
- Great digital experience to get quotes within a few minutes, buy and manage the policy online
- Great customer service
Cons
- Not available in all states. Available in Florida
CoverWallet: Best for comparing several quotes
CoverWallet is another online insurance broker. As a broker, they return multiple quotes based on one completed questionnaire. Typically, when CoverWallet returns a quote, you receive three quotes at once.
We requested a quote for a pressure washing firm in Miami with one owner and one part-time worker. The quote is displayed below.
Pros
- Use an online application to retrieve quotes from multiple sources
- A vast array of coverages available
- Provide several coverage to small businesses in a wide range of industries
- An online dashboard allows you to handle claims, pay your premiums, and manage your policy.
Cons
- A third party provides coverage
- Tend to partner with well-known carriers only
Hiscox: Best for significant experience insuring small businesses
Hiscox offers customized coverages for pressure washing businesses. Insurance coverage can be purchased through Hiscox online or by contacting a representative on the telephone. Speaking with a rep can help you find the appropriate coverage for your business needs.
Hiscox has been in business for more than 120 years. It’s known for creating unique insurance solutions for the small businesses that work with them. The company works exclusively with small businesses.
Pros
- Online quotes and purchasing
- Discounts are available for bundling, as well as a 14-day money-back refund policy.
- Work anywhere worldwide with the professional liability policies
Cons
- May not offer all the coverage you need
- No coverage in Alaska; business owner policies unavailable in multiple states
- Business owner policies only available to small businesses
Thimble: best for short-term coverage
Thimble is unique because it offers coverage for the length of time you need it. For example, if you only need coverage for a day, you could purchase coverage for that length of time. You can modify, pause, or cancel your coverage at any time without facing hidden fees.
We requested a quote from Thimble for a pressure washing business in Pompano Beach, Florida. The quote was returned in less than five minutes. With Thimble, you must pay two months’ premium when you initiate your policy.
Pros
- From online quote to purchase in a few minutes
- Good for contractors
- Coverage for the length of time you need: hourly, daily, or monthly
Cons
- Claims must be filed with a third party company by email or phone
- Can only get customer support online
Next: Best for combining general and professional liability coverage
Next is an online insurance company that wants to provide its customers with the ultimate online insurance experience. You can purchase your policy, file a claim, or request a certificate of insurance at any time in any place 365 days a year. You can reach the company by telephone if necessary, and Next is known for making claims decisions in 48 hours.
Pros
- Easy online application
- Discount for bundled policies
- Digitally share certificate of insurance
- Competitive rates
Cons
- Traditional companies may not like the online claims process
- Some specialized insurance products aren’t available
What is pressure washing insurance?
Pressure washing insurance is a group of insurance coverages that protect your pressure washing business when mishaps threaten your financial future. Whether you have multiple employees or run a one-person business, you will need some insurance coverages to help offset the risks of injury or property damage that affects yourself or others.
Many states require insurance such as liability and worker’s compensation to operate a pressure washing business, and some clients refuse to let you work without proper insurance. If you hire someone to work for you, worker’s compensation insurance is a must-have coverage. Driving to perform portions of your business tasks also requires that you have commercial auto insurance coverage. Insurers who specialize in providing insurance for pressure washing businesses can help you determine if you need coverage and what kind of coverage you need.
What kind of insurance does a pressure washing company need?
The most basic insurance coverage recommended for any small business in any industry is general liability insurance. General liability insurance protects against third-party claims due to injury or property damage while on your business property or performing a job on a client’s property.
Since you likely transport your equipment from job to job, you will also be required to have commercial auto insurance. If you have employees working for you, worker’s compensation insurance is a must-have. Other popular insurance coverages for pressure washing companies include contractors’ errors and omissions, tools and equipment policies, and commercial property policies.
What does pressure washing insurance cover?
What pressure washing insurance covers is determined by the kinds of policies you have in your arsenal. General liability insurance will pay for medical payments, property damage, and legal fees and judgments stemming from an accident where a third party was injured during the course of your business operations. Depending on the coverages you carry on your automotive policy, your commercial auto policy could cover only liability for accidents on the road, or it could cover property damage to your vehicle as well.
Errors & omissions insurance, also called professional liability insurance, goes into effect if someone accuses you of making a mistake that negatively impacts them. For example, if you have been accused of causing water damage, E&O insurance will help protect you against legal claims if you are sued or if you must redo the job you were hired for. Think of E&O insurance as your protection against negligence claims.
If you have even one employee, you are required by law in most states to carry worker’s compensation coverage. This coverage helps pay medical bills, lost wages, and job retraining services if a worker is injured while working for you. Tools and equipment coverage is only a must if you don’t have the money to replace damaged or broken equipment for any reason immediately. So, many pressure washing business owners consider tools and equipment coverage mandatory coverage to have.
If you own or rent a space to use as a home base for your business, you likely want to have commercial property insurance. If your business location is mortgaged, your lender will likely require this kind of insurance to protect your interest and theirs.
How much does pressure washing insurance cost?
Small business insurance isn’t cheap, no matter what industry you are in. As with any other insurance coverage, the costs for your policies in the pressure washing business will be variable.
The average cost of a $1M general liability insurance policy for pressure washing businesses in Florida is $275 per month, or $3,300 a year.
This is just the average cost. Your rate may be lower or higher. Be sure to shop around few a few companies or get quotes from a top broker like Simply Business, InsurePro, or CoverWallet to compare several quotes online to find the cheapest one for your business.
Factors impacting pressure washing insurance cost
Some of the factors that could be considered regarding pressure washing insurance include:
- The kinds of projects you do
- Where your home base is for your business
- Your payroll and the tasks your employees are responsible for handling
- How many and what kind of vehicles you use for work
- The value of your business property and the kind of equipment you have
Each business has unique needs and assets, so coverage varies based on your specific business.
How to find cheap pressure washing insurance?
As you can see, pressure washing insurance is expensive. below are a few tips to find cheap coverage for your pressure washing business:
- Shop and compare several quotes: Comparing several quotes is the only way to make sure you can find the cheapest price for your pressure washing business’s insurance coverage
- Implement all safety practices and standards for your business operations to reduce the risk it may cause
- Provide all necessary safety training to your employees regularly: This will help your employees do their jobs more safely and you may get several discounts from different insurance companies for having required these trainings.
- Maintain your good insurance record: Once you establish a steady good insurance record for your business, your insurance cost may decrease over time.
- Choose the right policy’s terms: The policy’s coverage limits and deductibles impact the cost of pressure washing insurance. Decrease the coverage limits or increase deductibles will lower the premiums.
- Don’t forget to shop again at the renewal time: Your current policy might be the cheapest when you bought it, but it may not be the cheapest when you need to renew. Don’t stop shopping around to find the cheaper one for your business.
Where to get pressure washing insurance quotes online?
The only way to make sure you are not overpaying for pressure washing insurance is to compare several quotes. Getting quotes online is an easy way to compare several quotes. Below are a few carriers and online brokers that offer pressure washing business insurance quotes online that we recommend:
- Carriers: NEXT, Thimble, and Hiscox
- Brokers: Simply Business, InsurePro, and CoverWallet
Final thoughts
Pressure washing can be a dangerous business. As such, you need to purchase appropriate insurance coverage.
